Question

Compare the outermost electrons of an atom with the inner most electrons of an atom in terms of energy

Answer 1

Valence electrons, being in the outer energy levels, have higher energy compared to core electrons, which have lower energy in the inner shells closest to the nucleus.

Step-by-step explanation:

The outermost electrons of an atom are referred to as valence electrons, while the innermost electrons are known as core electrons. Valence electrons are essential in determining an atom's chemical properties, including its reactivity and ability to form bonds with other atoms. These electrons are found in the outer energy levels of an atom and have higher energy, as they are further away from the nucleus and less influenced by the nucleus's positive charge. Conversely, the core electrons reside in the inner energy shells closest to the nucleus, where the attractive force is the strongest, resulting in these electrons having lower energy. Hence, the energy of electrons increases with distance from the nucleus, which is in line with quantum mechanics and the Pauli exclusion principle that governs the structure of the electron cloud in an atom.

Answer 2

The innermost electron of an atom has the lowest level of energy while the outermost electron has the highest level of energy.
There are different energy levels in the atoms of elements, for an atom to go into an higher level it has to obtain more energy and to go to lower level it has to lose energy.